


Pandora Doesn't Go Back in the Box

by busylittlebee09



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Gay Panic, M/M, Realization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/busylittlebee09/pseuds/busylittlebee09
Summary: Patrick saw David once before the day they met in Ray's office.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 8
Kudos: 96





	Pandora Doesn't Go Back in the Box

**Author's Note:**

> Ever since I saw the scene where the two meet, I wondered how Patrick came to find out, "David Rose, you bought the general store." This is my dramatic imagining beyond Ray simply telling him.

Patrick closed the oversized menu, hoping to leave some of his wandering thoughts within its many pages. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait too long before distraction came along in the form of Twyla Sands, a waitress at the Cafe Tropical. “Good morning, Patrick,” She chimed. Her sunny disposition bursting through her eyes and giant smile. _She’s gorgeous_ , Patrick thought to himself. _Any guy would be lucky to have Twyla to come home to_. “Hey, Twyla,” were the words that escaped his lips, “How are you today?” She responded with the usual niceties and Patrick reciprocated, then gave her his lunch order.  
He’d been in Schitt’s Creek for two weeks. He was beginning to think he’d made the worst decision of his life. What was he doing here, sitting at the bar of this cafe? He had done it all to take charge of the life that was passing him by and leaving him numb. So he ended the engagement and quit his job. A quick internet search led him to a job listing as a “business assistant” to a local entrepreneur. It sounded shady and vague. He needed an out, though, and this entrepreneur, Ray Butani, offered him the job and a place to stay. So he ignored every instinct telling him he was making a terrible mistake. It turns out Ray was a pleasant guy, with a somewhat non-traditional approach to business, and an energy level that Patrick could barely fathom. Despite the job, and Ray’s generosity, Patrick still felt more lost than he had before he left home and the woman he’d been with since he was sixteen.

Once again, Twyla interrupted his thoughts, this time greeting another customer who just walked in. Patrick sat far enough down the bar to observe the interaction without looking too obvious. The customer was a taller, dark-haired man with large sunglasses obscuring much of his face. He was talking loudly at Twyla, and Patrick thought he seemed flustered. She nodded along wide eyed, but understanding, as though she was used to the eccentricity. _He’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen._ The thought was there and gone in a flash. Patrick almost didn’t catch it. It was more visceral than his earlier musing about Twyla. He felt completely captivated. It surprised him when no one looked at him as the heat rose in his face. But no one looked, and his thought was safe. He looked away from the man who defied his thought pattern, down at his cup of water. He felt Twyla breeze by on her way to make the stranger’s drink. Patrick wanted to know what it was. He took one more chance to glance at the man. He furrowed his brow as he looked down at his phone, oblivious to the gaze of the cafe patron down the bar.

Then he left, back out the doors of the cafe. Patrick couldn’t help himself and asked Twyla about the customer. His curiosity wasn’t out of place; he’d slowly been learning the names and faces of the townspeople. “Oh, that’s David Rose! He lives with his family at the motel. They used to be super rich, but lost all of their money. His sister Alexis is my best friend. She used to date my ex-boyfriend, who was my boyfriend when they did community service together,” Twyla responded as Patrick tried to parse out something useful from the information she gave him. He must have looked confused because Twlya then provided, “David just rented the old general store across the street.” Patrick just smiled at Twyla then the bell rang signaling an order was ready and she left for the kitchen.

David Rose. Patrick didn’t know what it was, but he needed to know more about David Rose. He was sure their paths would eventually cross with the microscopic size of this town, but it made him anxious that he wanted that so badly after merely observing the man for a moment. Twyla brought Patrick his lunch and left him alone to consider the shift he just experienced. His inner dialogue scared the shit out of him;  
 _What does this mean? Am I attracted to him, to men?_  
 _Yes, I suppose. This feels like attraction._  
 _No, I can’t be. That can’t be it. I’m attracted to women._  
 _No, I’m not._  
 _I was engaged to a woman._  
 _Then I ran away from home._  
His thoughts drifted from David specifically as he considered the possibility that this was larger than a crush on a stranger in a cafe. He finished his lunch and walked back to Ray’s, hoping there was enough work to keep him from spiraling into dissociation, but he felt like maybe he’d opened a Pandora’s box.  


He was reexamining every relationship he’d ever had when Ray walked into the room on his phone and waved to him. “Okay...okay… great, we’ll see you tomorrow,” he said cheerily then hung up.  
“Oh, Patrick! That was someone calling to schedule an appointment to file incorporation papers tomorrow morning. Could you take that? I’ve got a photoshoot with Teresa and her fiance.” Patrick broke out of his own daze and tried to pull his focus away from his maybe being gay, to respond.  
“Yeah, sure Ray, I’ll add it to my schedule. What’s their name?”  
“David Rose,” was the response and Patrick froze.  
“Is this for the general store?” he asked Ray.  
“Oh yes! Word really travels fast around here. He’ll be in at 10:30.”  
With that, Ray went into the dining room and Patrick was alone to look at the name he’d scribbled into his planner. David Rose.

**Author's Note:**

> I've never published anything I've written before, ever. I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
